


Who Says I Should Let a Wild One Go Free?

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Pre-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 12:28:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6854635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He could hardly bear to be in her presence and not touch her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Says I Should Let a Wild One Go Free?

**Author's Note:**

> This is for my San Diego sailor. Hey handsome.

CJ stared at the apartment full of boxes and sighed. She had given up on CNN hours ago, just having spent the past nearly 2 years of her life inundated with news. She opted instead for her stereo and threw in an old mixed tape she used to play on the road when things got hectic. Right now KISS I Love It Loud played nice and loud. A part of her hoped she did not disturb her new neighbors; another part of her could give a shit. There was no way all of this crap would be unpacked in eight days. Jesus, eight days until Claudia Jean Cregg of Dayton, Ohio became White House Press Secretary.

She talked to her father today…Tal Cregg gave the usual pompous speech about the family name. CJ and her brothers used to roll their eyes growing up when he went on that spiel. Tonight she took it to heart. The whole world would be watching her…Mrs. McMurtry, her 4th grade teacher; Nick Fletcher, the guy who broke her heart in 9th grade; the woman whose pack of cigarettes she stole with Toby in that Brooklyn bar in 1986; and faceless little girls in countries where women had no voice.

Her door buzzed and CJ stopped staring into space. Putting her beer bottle on the coffee table, she went over to the buzzer. She was expecting to be alone tonight. Everyone was coming over tomorrow for unpacking, pizza, and the usual. They would also be delivering the rest of her furniture. Who knew who was buzzing her door tonight? Most likely, they had the wrong apartment.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, it's Leo. Can um, can I come up?"

"Yeah."

She buzzed him in, opening her front door. There was no time to be nervous; her first thought was what he was doing there. Leo McGarry walked up the flight of stairs and came to stand in front of her door. It was slightly ajar but for a moment, he held his hand on the knob. What the hell was he doing there? This was the most ridiculous thing he had ever done…sober. But God, she was less than half a mile away. What was he supposed to do? He felt like William Holden in Network, unable to control his insatiable need for Faye Dunaway. Lust flew out the campaign bus window somewhere along the Midwest junket. Clearing his throat, he walked in.

"Hey." He was confident Leo again.

"Hi. I was not expecting company tonight; the place is a mess. Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"Coffee, if you have it."

He locked the door and started the walk to her kitchen. CJ met him halfway.

"I'll put a pot on."

"I don't want to inconvenience you."

"Then go home."

"CJ!"

She laughed and Leo's stomach flipped.

"I'll make you some coffee. What do I owe the pleasure?"

"I wanted to check on you. There's not a lot of time to settle in."

"It took less time at Berkeley. And there was much more debauchery there."

"I'd like to hear more of your wild college days."

Leo leaned against the counter and lit a cigarette. He offered one to CJ.

"It wasn't that bad…I passed the Secret Service's test."

"They can only vet what they know." Leo replied.

CJ laughed again.

"I had some fun." She pulled two mugs from the cabinet. "What about you Mr. McGarry. If the walls at Michigan could talk huh?"

"Something like that. You look good tonight. It's nice to see you relaxed."

CJ was dressed in faded jeans, bare feet, and a Def Leppard tee shirt. Her hair was pulled away from her face and she wore her glasses.

"So, you came all the way over here just to check on me?"

She handed him the coffee and walked toward the living room. Leo followed.

"Yeah. I wanted to see how you were. How are you?"

"Good. Tomorrow I am actually going to unpack these boxes. I'm almost used to them though. I've been living out of boxes for a while now."

"I have been thinking about you CJ."

Leo looked into his coffee when he said it. CJ looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What about me?"

"Mostly how you look without clothes. Forgive me for that."

"No."

"OK, I can live with that."

"You are married Leo."

That had not stopped a bond forming between then almost immediately as she set foot into the Manchester storefront. It was electric, cosmic, and shocking. Initially it caused CJ to avoid Leo. With the passage of time, she just got used to having him around, and her feelings became controlled. That was until they were caught in the autumn New Hampshire rainstorm. They decided to wait it out in the Bartlet barn and that was where they shared their first kiss.

" _Jed would kill me if he ever found out. He looks at you like a daughter." Leo said._

_"I'm a grown woman Leo. My father lives in Dayton, Ohio."_

_"Oh believe me Claudia Jean, I know_."

"I'm legally separated Claudia Jean; nearly divorced."

"Nearly." She smirked. "That is not a word to hinge a damn thing on. Jenny..."

"I am staying at the Watergate. Jenny offered to leave but she needs the house. Me, I have a big house for the next four years."

"You moved out?"

CJ put out her cigarette and really looked at him.

"We both felt it better not to start this administration on false footing. My marriage has been over a long time. I loved Jenny once; I don't anymore."

"Just like that?" CJ whispered.

"I'm sorry?"

"You don't love her anymore, just like that. It goes from 'til death us do part' to packing suitcases and living in a hotel."

"A couple of decades in hell can do that. She held on longer than she should have and even if I loved her like I should, she would still go."

"I don't want to talk about it." CJ said.

"Fair enough."

"It probably wasn't the best idea for you to come here. There could be press lurking…I found out over the past couple of days that I'm popular."

"I took precautions. I wanted to see you."

"Why?"

"CJ…"

"Tell me why."

"Because you are always on my mind. And because us getting involved reeks of impropriety and is a bit more than slightly unprofessional. Because you have beautiful eyes and I want to make love to you."

"That does not make sense."

"If we do this, there will be rules. Rules that cannot be broken."

"I have enough rules…no rules on my love life." She replied.

They were quiet for a while. CJ stood and began to walk around her living room. She stopped, leaning against a box with her back to Leo. Smelling him before she felt him, CJ's body tensed and then relaxed when she felt his arms slide around her and his chest on her back.

"I love you Claudia Jean. That's not easy for me to say."

"I know. I love you too, but it's about to get hard."

"Jed Bartlet comes first, the office and the Presidency. I want to beg you to run; I want to beg myself to let you. I am going to hurt you…I want you to leave me. But I can't bear for you to leave me."

"It will end bad." CJ said.

"Would it be harsh to say I don't care?"

CJ's knees nearly buckled when his lips brushed the nape of her neck.

"Yes." Her voice cracked. "Leo…"

"We can get married."

"You're already married." She said.

"Stop. I swear to God I love you and I will marry you. To calm your fears and everyone else's."

"I am not going to get married to calm fears."

"Here, look at me." He turned her in his arms; saw the tears threatening to spill over. "I've never…dammit!"

"What?"

"I feel inarticulate, and I hate that. I'm going to the President-elect tomorrow and telling him about us. I want you in my life; I need you."

"Oh Leo, oh God."

His lips were warm on hers and he kissed the tremble from her soul. She moaned, pulling him as close to her as she could. His hands were comforting on her back, warm and loving. He could not walk away from her…Leo's feelings teetered on obsession. The woman owned his soul and try as he might Leo McGarry could not get it back.

"Where is the bedroom baby?" Leo asked, pulling the tee shirt over her head. He was surprised to see she wore no bra.

CJ took his hand and walked down the hall after flipping off the music. In the bedroom, they stood close, kissing softly as they undressed each other.

"You're so lovely." Leo said as he took in her naked frame.

"How lovely?"

Pulling him closer she made her way over the bed.

"You have 976.37 kg of loveliness."

CJ laughed, her body sinking into the mattress as Leo lay beside her. He stroked her skin. He could hardly bare to be in her presence and not touch her.

"You're kidding me? Is that an estimate or a true measurement?"

"Every gram….it is a true count. Your voice, your mind, your eyes, your skin…" he dipped to kiss her shoulder. "Every bit of you."

CJ slipped her arms around him, pulling him on top of her.

"Make love to me."

Leo kissed her mouth, before tasting her neck and shoulders. His hands explored her breasts and down even further. CJ squirmed when he stroked the hair between her thighs. His touch was magnificent…she had never been touched by any man as Leo touched her. His fingers found her intimate skin and CJ arched her back. She moaned softly as his finger slowly entered her and pulled out.

"Don't tease me." She groaned.

"Shh baby, it's OK."

"Leo…feels so good. Don't stop."

"I know baby. I know."

He kissed her as his finger slid inside her again. He pushed against her and CJ writhed underneath him. She mumbled to herself; Leo knew she enjoyed it. When he hit her g-spot, CJ almost screamed. She gripped the sheets and Leo smiled.

"Mmm, damn I love that sound."

"Fuck me Leo; please. Harder, harder."

Her hips bucked against his finger, even harder when he slid in another and the palm of his hand stroked her clit.

"Oh good lord Leo…oh God!"

CJ pulled him into a kiss, biting his lip when the feelings intensified. Leo withdrew, running his tongue across to check for blood.

"You wanna cum baby…I wanna hear you cum."

CJ thrust upward and Leo felt her body squeeze and pulse around his fingers. He loved that feeling, and he withdrew from her as the spasms slowed and her erratic breathing returned to normal. CJ blew out a deep breath as Leo moved up to her face, spreading her thighs apart.

"You want me baby?"

"Oh God, so much Leo…so much."

"Me too. Always Claudia Jean."

The heat of her body drew him in and they both gasped as he filled her. He pushed into her as far as he could go and then paused to adjust. It was so overwhelming and tight; it took all his strength not to just spill inside her. He began to move in slow, long strokes as CJ wrapped her legs around his waist. The movements became more frantic and Leo relished the feeling of her longs arms and legs around him.

"Oh CJ, baby, oh God, so good baby!"

"Leo! I love you; I love you! So much!"

Her moaning turned to sobs as he lurched forward and came inside her. Exhausted, his body collapsed on hers. CJ just sank into the bed, the weight and warmth of his body better than any quilt.

"I can't move." Leo groaned.

"In the good way or the bad way?" CJ asked.

"Both. Christ."

CJ smiled, kissing him softly. Leo exhaled and rolled over on the mattress. CJ threw the blanket over them, cuddling in his arms. She did not want to give this up; give him up. It wasn't just sex, though to be honest it was the best of her life. Leo knew her body…every little secret spot on her skin. More than that, he knew her. Her likes and dislikes, how to make her laugh, to get her so fired up she wanted to punch his lights out. He gave her space but knew when her only desire was to have him close.

Seriously, could they survive the White House? Could they survive the boys knowing, the President, the press? Jenny was certainly going to have something to say, not even mentioning her father and brothers. Oh God, her brothers. Leo would be her boss; she would have to defer her life to him for four years. Could a personal relationship ever work?

"I mean it when I tell you I love you." He said.

"Is it to be assumed you don't?" CJ asked.

"I just…you have to know this is going to be the hardest thing either of us has ever attempted."

"Yeah." She stroked his chest and Leo moaned softly.

"OK, rule #1, you cannot touch me like this in the West Wing."

CJ laughed.

"Deal." She kissed his neck. "Rule #2, work stays at work." CJ said.

"You will have to keep me in line on that one."

"Oh I think I can keep you in line Leopold."

She squeezed him; Leo pulled her closer and kissed her.

"Rule #3, we have to do our best to remain honest and open with one another where this personal relationship is concerned. It will not work if we can't do that."

"I don't know if it will work when we do." Leo replied.

"I am willing to take that risk….today."

"Yeah. So, I can tell the President-elect tomorrow?"

"Oh God, I don't know Leo."

She buried her head in his chest and Leo rubbed her back.

"He will find out eventually. Sooner is better than later in a situation like this."

"There will be so many questions to answer." She said. "You know he can be sometimes, especially with you. I never want him to think me a home wrecker."

"Don't use that word with me Claudia Jean. I can handle Jed. Can you handle telling them?"

"Everyone is coming over tomorrow to help me unpack. I will tell them."

"Will you baby? Will you tell Toby?"

He was getting tired; CJ knew the change in his body language. Oh God Toby was going to be worse than her brothers were…she did not even want to think about the look on his face. She remembered for just a moment the sadness in his eyes when she told him she was going back to California the second time.

"Yes, I will tell them. Go to sleep Leo."

"Do I have to skip out early? I never want to skip out early again. I'm so tired of leaving you as if you don't mean everything to me." He stifled a yawn.

"No, we will sleep in." she kissed him once more. "Goodnight Leo."

***


End file.
